Part of Orders of the Day — National Health Service (Amendment) Bill – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 9 December 1949.
The hon. Member is doing exactly what it is impossible for anyone in this House to do this morning—to discuss an entirely hypothetical scheme. We have no idea at all what the Government intend to do, and until we see their proposals how can we possibly criticise them one way or the other? The question here is whether or not we are going to give the Government power by regulation to do something in this connection. It is important, therefore, to see what is the general purpose which is intended.
While speaking of this matter I think it is right to tell the hon. Member that even though I agree that the sole purpose for introducing this measure is not to effect an economy, I entirely disagree with his statement that it is not the main purpose. If it had not been necessary to make economies we should never have been discussing this Amendment this morning.